I began researching my family the summer of 2002. It was the summer between my junior and senior years of high school. It started off with the request of two documents. They were the original social security applications of my paternal grandmother's parents. From there I began to ask questions. My grandmother then told me that her paternal grandparents were buried at two separate cemeteries. I asked how could this be? She then explained to me that her grandmother was a lifelong Catholic. Her grandfather did not covert and continued to practice in the Presbyterian Church. Her grandfather was the first to die. If he would have been buried at the Catholic cemetery his casket would have not been allowed to touch the consecrated ground. The grave would had to been lined with stone before the burial took place. So at the time of their deaths they were buried in their respective family plots. After 34 years of marriage they ended up being buried at cemeteries ten minutes apart from each other. From these two documents and one story my research began. Now approaching ten years of research I have begun researching for others.
In 2008 (with the encouragement of a friend) I launched a simple website offering a few look ups. They included obituaries, city directories and and cemetery records in Will County, Illinois. From there my offerings have grown. I currently offer document retrieval as well as more detailed oriented projects. My current offerings can be viewed at my website for Joliet Genealogy. I have also offered some of my services through Genlighten. Through Genlighten I offer look ups at a competitive rate. I currently offer the only research service in Will County on Genlighten. I also offer some limited research in Cook County. Nearly a year ago the founder of Genlighten put me in touch with another company. Through this contact I have begun to do more detailed research projects. These projects go beyond simple document retrieval. As well as being outside of Will County. Most projects have required between 15 and 40 hours of time. With my findings a detailed report is composed. This includes major findings as well strategies to gain further information about the ancestors of a client.
What has started off as a hobby has now become my part-time job. I could not be happier about that. In the coming days and years I hope to make it a full-time one. I still find myself a rarity among genealogy researchers. It is common to hear people say they did not begin their journey until it was too late. The people who knew the answers to their question were already gone. I am happy that I began young. I have already seen the last people of a generation pass away during my lifetime. I was lucky enough to meet them and ask my questions before it was too late.
